Obama’s Not so New Latin America Policy as seen from Bolivia

[Xicano]

I know many still adore Obama, but, no one gets a free ride when it comes to their actions in public office. Criticizing our democratic leaders when their actions are unbecoming of progressive points of view is one thing that sets us apart from conservatives when their leaders act in a manner unbecoming of their points of view.

Flame away if you wish, but, you'll only look like those at FR who stuck up for their guy no matter what he did or didn't do. As for me, I'll take the same position that Amy Goodman takes - no on gets a free ride against criticism when it comes to public office.

President Barack Obama declared at the Summit of the Americas meeting in Trinidad and Tobago in April that there would no longer be junior and senior partners in the Americas–but his actions are sending a different message.

The most egregious case is Honduras, where the U.S. has played ball with the coup-makers who overthrew democratically elected President Manuel Zelaya earlier this month. The Obama administration also failed to speak out against last month’s Peruvian police massacre of more than 50 indigenous people in the Peruvian Amazon who were protesting the incursion of petroleum transnational corporations into their territory.

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In the U.S., the appearance of the leaders has changed, but the politics of empire have not. When he told us in Trinidad and Tobago that they are no longer senior and junior partners, President Obama lied to Latin America. Now there is not only a senior partner, there is a patron (boss), a policeman…



http://www.republicoflakotah.com/2009/obamas-not-so-new-latin-america-policy-as-seen-from-bolivia/

Also, lets not forget his reneging on his campaign pledges against NAFTA.

[Truth Talks]

1. Obamanation

Obama is also sending more U.S. troops into Colombia.

All this leads me to make a prediction. The corporate media have pronounced Obama the most popular leader in the Americas, with Hugo Chavez among the least popular. The Seattle Times carried an article that called Chavez "the George Bush of Latin America" - quite a charge coming from a corporate rag that endorsed George W. Bush.

Of course, Chavez has in a sense lost his fire because Obama isn't as easy a target as George W. Bush was.

Anyway, I predict a major change in the near future. Once Obama is more fully unmasked, Chavez will increasingly turn his guns on him and the picture will become much clearer. Obama had a chance to do the right thing, and he threw it away. I support Chavez, Morales and their colleagues.

Viva la revolucion!

[Xicano]

2. Here, here

Indeed, he did have a chance to do the right thing. The fact that he didn't shows who he really serves - wall street and the military industrial complex.

One of my neighbors who's a Hopi elder, and, who also was hopeful about Obama, now calls him "The Buffalo Solider".

[MannyGoldstein]

3. Welcome, Fellow Member of the DU Racists Club!

By posting anything non-adoring of Obama, you are now fair game to be called a racist, an Republican, and all manner of other lovely epithets.

BTW, I rec'd your post back up to 0.

Enjoy your stay!

[a la izquierda]

4. Hmmmmm.

I don't know that the US wants to establish hegemony in the region, as the article states toward the end. Doubtful, anyway that they ever could again.
That said, not commenting on the Peruvian massacre is shameful; and the drug eradication? Well, someday the US will realize that screwing with peoples' cultures does not good policy make...


Gotta tell you, though, Latin America still loves Obama. I know...I live here part time.

[Truth Talks]

5. For how long?

If what you say is true, it will be interesting to see how long this love affair lasts. Most Latin American nations now have leaders that can generally be described as leftists. They will not get along with a president who increasingly resembles a Republican.

[a la izquierda]

6. Hard to tell...

Most people in Mexico and elsewhere seem to enjoy a US president who is able to think.
And when I tell you that most people here don't give a shit about Indigenous people or peasants, I'm not exaggerating (I study them for a living). So, Obama not acknowledging the Peruvian massacre may or may not have been on most peoples' radars. That doesn't lessen the seriousness of it all, but I can guarantee you that if I walked outside my place right now and asked 50 people in Mexico, they'd not have heard about this. I barely heard about it. And I am living in an area full of native Mexicans at the moment.

So, while leftists (myself included) would love for Obama to pay greater attention to the needs of Latin America's left (and indians and peasants), millions of others would really prefer it if he helps get the shit economy back on track. That affects everyone.

[geek tragedy]

7. Obama is trying to get Zelaya reinstated.

This is typical Marxist propaganda offered by Obama's political enemies, which he has on the left as well as on the right.

It us the OP who really does not belong on DEMOCRATIC underground. Maybe World Workers Party Underground would be a better match.

[geek tragedy]

8. Obama is trying to get Zelaya reinstated.

This is typical Marxist propaganda offered by Obama's political enemies, which he has on the left as well as on the right.

It us the OP who really does not belong on DEMOCRATIC underground. Maybe World Workers Party Underground would be a better match.